Today a consulting company held a presentation on marketing opportunities for Spanish rugby. The main plan seems to bring two Tier 1 teams to play between them in San Sebastián after Atocha renovation works (2019). It is said they already talked to FFR and they are supported by Real Sociedad football club, but I can't describe in a single post how many goals should be ahead of something like that in a priority list for our rugby... Do you know that feeling when you are just doing it all wrong?

Copa del Rey final in Zorrilla stadium has been given the last green light, as Real Valladolid will play its soccer match April 16 at 20:15. VRAC Quesos Entrepinares v SilverStorm El Salvador will kick off the following day at 13:00. Tickets price will be 10 euros (free entrance for minors) and both clubs and town hall are working on a fanzone close to the stadium. The target should be a half-full stadium (11-13,000 spectators).

Of course some soccer fans are already complaining about how much the grass will suffer, so let's hope we don't see any rain that weekend.

Los Leones will face a new challenge having the chance to play against Argentina XV, Namibia and Uruguay. Three matches during this summer and a good opportunity to improve the last performances and to prepare the next season.

Amazing reports from Valladolid about Copa del Rey final. According to local Radio Marca station, more than 10,000 tickets sold in just a week. Promoters had expected to sell only tickets for the lower tier (14,000 seats) and will be forced to sell further seats.

tryman wrote:Not directly linked to Spanish rugby but the Top 14 Final held in the Nou Camp has sold out, 98,000 tickets sold in total!

Big rugby events seem to be going down well in Spain!!

Wow, that is impressive! I don't normally follow the top 14, but the final is now most certainly a must-watch match. Great to hear that tickets for the domestic final are selling well too. Seems to be a lot of potential in Spamish rugby, hopefully this level of interest can be transformed in to success on the pitch for the national side. It would be nice to see Spain, as a short-term goal, establish itself as on par with Romania.

tryman wrote:Not directly linked to Spanish rugby but the Top 14 Final held in the Nou Camp has sold out, 98,000 tickets sold in total!

Big rugby events seem to be going down well in Spain!!

Yes, but this final with make little or no impact at all here. I tried to buy a ticket and I was not able to. The vast majority of them have been sold in France, or to French travel agencies for expensive packages, with just a few tickets reserved for local clubs so they could make up the numbers and write some articles on how much that event would help to rugby development in Catalonia

I mean, it's great and I congratulate LNR for probably setting a new attendance world record for rugby, but you were completely right when writing it is not linked to Spanish rugby, unfortunately. Much more could have been done.

tryman wrote:Not directly linked to Spanish rugby but the Top 14 Final held in the Nou Camp has sold out, 98,000 tickets sold in total!

Big rugby events seem to be going down well in Spain!!

Yes, but this final with make little or no impact at all here. I tried to buy a ticket and I was not able to. The vast majority of them have been sold in France, or to French travel agencies for expensive packages, with just a few tickets reserved for local clubs so they could make up the numbers and write some articles on how much that event would help to rugby development in Catalonia

I mean, it's great and I congratulate LNR for probably setting a new attendance world record for rugby, but you were completely right when writing it is not linked to Spanish rugby, unfortunately. Much more could have been done.

Well to be fair it is a French blue ribbon event. The President himself presents the trophy!

They didn't move it to grow the game, they moved it because Euro 16 got all possible host venues.

It is going to be huge. Valladolid mayor tweeted they have already put on sale all tickets they could (24,786) and they expect them to be sold out by Tuesday. They even had to stop giving out free tickets for minors (4,000 in total) because of the huge demand

For a match between two Spanish clubs yes, for a rugby match, no. Top 14 and Heineken Cup drew bigger crowds in Anoeta and Montjuïc, although it is fair to say that last Top 14 matches only attracted 22-25,000 spectators.

Theorically, nowdays all tickets are sold out, but we will see the attendance. I think more than 20.000 spectators would be an incredible achievement for Spain. This is the moment to atract new partners and sponsors, although these figures are occasional, the potential is there.

What makes the difference? In my opinion, different factors, including two teams from Valladolid fighting for a title in an excellent stadium. All people connected to Spanish rugby have pushed in the same direction in this occasion.

I would like to think that something is changing, but it is impossible to consider a huge change when you see the attendance each weekend in our first division. Probably something is getting better in Spanish Rugby, but this situation is unique.

Congratulations! A really big step for Spain and all of Continental European Rugby.Maybe this shows one thing: if you can and "got the balls" for it, go for the soccer stadiums and slowly work your way up.

How to grow rugby worldwide?Look at the world ranking in July. Teams ranked 1-10 have to play one team from 11-20 (they don't play in a regular competition) away the next year. 11-20 play 21-30 away and so on. Yes, it really is that simple.